On Thursday night, the Boston Celtics will enter the draft with the 53rd overall selection. The first-round pick that originally belonged to the C’s was shipped to the San Antonio Spurs in the Derrick White trade back in February. Coming off an NBA Finals run, there’s little to no expectation that the prospect Brad Stevens drafts with that 53rd selection can come in and help their roster right away. This is less about drafting for need than it is for talent.
The spots on the back-end of the roster become more complicated if Yam Madar (2020 second-round pick) or Juhann Begarin (2021 second-round pick) attempt to come to Beantown. Without a ton of space on the roster to begin with, adding a new body into the mix at 53rd could create a logjam in terms of G-League developmental reps, spots still open for veteran signees and other young fliers they want to take on the undrafted free agent market.
Think about the draft-and-stash pool as being a way to defer this pick without risking it going away with no value. The Celtics could draft a player at #53, give him a two-way contract, and then wind up waiving him by the end of next season. The draft-and-stash route gives them much more time, has less downside in the short-term, and meshes nicely with the potential timelines of Madar and Begarin.
Most casual NBA fans are really unfamiliar with international prospects, as they are out of sight, out of mind and the game is a very different one overseas. We’ll attempt to bridge that gap with a look into a few of the international prospects most likely to be around at #53.
Karlo Matkovic, Mega
At 6’10” and 231 pounds, Karlo Matkovic is a big body on the interior. He’s athletic for his size, with a ton of bounce both as a catch-and-finish big and someone who can take one or two dribbles to get to the hoop. He’s really underrated as a short roll passer (something Daniel Theis and Al Horford are good at) and pieced together some fantastic defensive possessions for the Euroleague champions this year.
Matkovic’s athleticism makes him a really good lob threat that can be a long-term backup to a guy like Robert Williams. He’s solid in almost every aspect of his game, but his vertical pop was on full display and got people talking about him after his pro day at the NBA Draft Combine:
Karlo Matkovic had a last-minute change of heart and elected to keep his name in the draft ultimately, his agent Misko Raznatovic says. He will be eligible on June 23rd to…
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